Consider a healthier choice

There is no uncertainty that vitamins are good for us. Unfortunately for avid vitamin-takers, the vitamin C and vitamin B that are in many of the vitamin waters on the market are found in very small amounts.

The taste of Vitaminwater comes from the abundance of artificial sweeteners.
Consumers’ taste has grown for Vitaminwater and sports drinks in the past years as a replacement for high-sugared soft drinks.

Let’s face it — water can be boring. Vitaminwater grew in popularity because of the kaleidoscopic array of colours and celebrity endorsements such as Canada’s Steve Nash and 50 Cent.

Students may be attracted to the pretty colours and product names such as “acai-blueberry” that provides a notion that they enclose a considerable amount of fruit.

The Vitaminwater drinks contain a mere 1 per cent of juice. The amount of sugar added into this drink is enormous.

One Vitaminwater beverage has roughly 124 calories and 32 grams of sugar — that’s only 6 grams less than your average can of Coca-Cola. New York University’s researchers have actually indicated that the sweetness of vitamin water can be addictive.

David Soberman, the Canadian National Chair in Strategic Marketing at the Rotman School of Management, said that people believe that they can drink as much as they want because their bodies need the vitamins.

Earlier this month Britain’s ad regulator ordered Coca-Cola, the brand owner of Vitaminwater, to stop publicizing the product as “delicious and nutritious,” because of the large sugar content, according to the CBC.

Closer to home, the Centre for Science in the Public Interest, located in the United States, is suing Coca-Cola over what they say is a deceptive labelling of the drinks.

When you look at the drinks offered at our university, you have: pop, Vitaminwater, water, milk, juice and hot beverages.

The marketing of Vitaminwater makes it resemble a health beverage and gives an impression of healthiness and nutrition that is not accurate.

Adding vitamins and minerals to processed food doesn’t make it healthy either.
If students are craving a fruity taste but if you are worried about the sugar content, buy a sparkling water and add lemon or buy the sugar-free version.